


They're Going to Love You

by InkuisitivSkins



Series: LivMiles Drabbles / Prompts [9]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Childbirth mention, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Parenthood, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 08:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12477564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkuisitivSkins/pseuds/InkuisitivSkins
Summary: Growing up, Miles's mother often wasn't able to be present in his life. As a result, he had always told himself that in the event of fatherhood, he would always be there for his child-- yet things don't always go as planned. Even though life can get in the way, you must always allow yourself happiness, even through the hard times.





	They're Going to Love You

**Author's Note:**

> For a "Writing Prompts" askmeme on tumblr, #72 -- "They're going to love you, don't worry!"  
> Sent in by a lovely anon, this was one of those prompts that I got an idea for the moment I read it. You guys all know how much of a sucker I am for Parental!AUs, right???
> 
> Thank you for sending this one in! <33

Miles was on the verge of tears the entire, unending train ride up to Central. He wasn’t inherently  _sad_ , just intensely regretful, and possibly the most worried he had ever felt in his entire life.

Family had always been one of the highest priorities in his mind, ever since he was a young boy, taking care of his younger sister alongside his other sister. His mother often did not have the opportunity to spend much time with her three children, especially after his father died-- she was constantly working, trying to scrounge up enough money to feed her family. Whenever she  _was_  home, she would be exhausted, and while it hurt Miles, he knew it wasn’t her fault in the slightest. The hardship forced him to mature quickly, to the point that it was eventually _he_  who looked after  _both_  sisters, even though his older sister was two years apart from him. 

He didn’t deny that he wished his mother had been there for them more, but he had always promised himself that if he ever became a father, it would be different.

He already wasn’t doing a great job of that. 

Doc had eventually convinced Olivier to take her maternity leave, after  _weeks_  of arguments over physical exams. While she had succeeded in getting Olivier down to Central for more in-depth, specialized pregnancy health visits on several occasions, it was only five weeks until her due date when the major general finally gave in. She had constantly found ways to persuade the doctor into the mindset that she was fine to stay working, that the fort  _needed_  her. To that, Doc would retort with the fact that the fort had always functioned  _swimmingly_  in the past when its commander was away for military meetings and the like; and that she did not have the adequate equipment to wholly ensure the birth went smoothly. She also enjoyed reminding the general that she was  _not_  fine. Her moodswings had become almost unable to bear, with no one brave enough to reign in her and her heavily-pregnant wrath. One moment, she would be ready to snap a cadet’s arm in two (she had dislocated one already), the other moment she would lock herself in her office, with officers scrambling to find and free her in fear that she had somehow trapped herself. 

In reality, she had been eating strange concoctions of food typically found in the mess hall, sitting cross-legged behind her desk in hiding like a small, round, nocturnal creature. 

She also had turned down Miles’s advice, him concernedly saying that he should forgo work in Ishval in order to stay at Briggs and assist her with the goings-on of everyday life. Even still, she assured him that the Ishvalan Restoration was where he was needed most; it was the opportunity he had been longing for for many years, even prior to the War of Extermination.

He wish he hadn’t acceded. 

Miles had been right in the middle of a conversation with Scar; he would never forget that he had been talking about the plumbing of one of the newly-built Ishvalan districts when he received the call from Central, telling him his wife had gone into labor. 

He had tripped out of the tent and went barreling into the direction of the recently completed railroad station when Scar called back to him, reminding him that he needed to bring his suitcase of belongings with him before wishing him and his new family the best. 

He had been planning to take the next week off to go be with her, since her due date was next week-- but she was a few days early in the end, and with the heaviest heart as he boarded the train, he knew that there was a chance that he would miss the birth of his child. 

It was Roy Mustang who spoke with him briefly during a small, unavoidable train layover in East City. He was grateful that the new general had immediately gone to be with Olivier during his own vacation from the Restoration work, and while he knew that she wasn’t going to be very happy about seeing him, he was aware that they had a long history of friendship, and along with her family, Roy and his own wife would take good care of her. 

He optimistically assured Miles that everything was going well thus far, and Olivier was taking her precious time, so there was still a chance Miles could make it. 

However, when General Mustang was waiting at the train station to meet him and escort him to the Armstrong Manor, Miles learned that he hadn’t. To the Ishvalan’s eternal gratitude (he made sure the general was aware of it), Roy already had a car on standby to transport them further into Central. 

It was in that car where Miles finally allowed the tears to come. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Roy asked with a hint of surprise upon seeing the display. “This is a happy day!”

“I missed it,” Miles tried to stifle a hiccup, though it failed. “What if something had gone wrong? I may have never seen Olivier or the baby ever ag--”

“But it didn’t,” the other man flashed him a kind smile. “They’re both doing great, and boy, will they be happy to see you. What is it,  _absence makes the heart grow fonder_?”

The Ishvalan sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back of his coat sleeve, “Well, it had better be the opposite, too, because I’m never leaving Olivier’s side ever again.”

“You know she won’t have that, she’s even more stubborn now that the maternal instincts have kicked in,” Roy chuckled awkwardly. “Besides, you both will have a good several months to relax. Scar and I can handle things for a little while, as long as you’re willing to have some phone correspondence with us every few days, I’m willing to extend your paternity leave to match hers.”

The tears started again, “Thank you, General.”

Roy smiled to himself as they exited onto the street, the large and illustrious manor in plain sight now, “Don’t mention it. Just save the tears for when you see them, alright? I bet you Olivier will eat that up.”

A few moments of silence was drawn out between them for a moment, until Miles spoke up again, “What are they like?”

“Olivier said I wasn’t allowed to tell you their sex,” the general replied. “She wanted you to be completely surprised. Rest assured, they’re perfect.”

“What if they don’t like me?”

“Miles, please. Don’t be silly, didn’t you always say how much kids loved you?”

The car now parked on the side of the road, the two officers exited the back seat, Miles’s pace obviously quicker and more hurried than usual. 

“I’m just worried... I’ve been thinking about it for months.”

“They’re going to love you, don’t worry!”

They ascended the steps, a servant allowing them in. The scenery of the manor was quieter than Miles had expected, though he was sure that it was much more chaotic earlier. Thankfully, he hadn’t missed it by too terribly long; a few hours, at most. He was just grateful that there were no delays in their travel. 

Roy led him up more stairs, Riza nearly passing them as she went the opposite way. 

“Hey,” the general smiled warmly to her. The captain returned her husband’s smile; Miles always pleased to see their own interactions much more relaxed than prior to the Promised Day, for he knew what it was like to harbor feelings that would normally be dangerous to act upon. However, in the end, it worked out for both him and Olivier as well as Roy and Riza. “How is everyone?”

“Very well,” Riza flashed Miles a small, calm smile as she spoke. 

“She’s very eager to see you,” her smile grew more warm, and knowing, “and so is Olivier.”

Miles didn’t notice his own red eyes widening,  _she_. A girl. He didn’t wait up for Roy to follow before running up the remaining stairs to Olivier’s room, taking great care to not just barge in. 

A male voice allowed him to enter upon his knocking; Miles recognized it to be the Armstrong family doctor after the two short check-ups he was able to accompany Olivier on. He didn’t even notice he was holding his breath as he slowly opened the door.

The doctor nodded a farewell to Olivier, who was sitting upright in her bed with a bundle in her arms, before smiling at Miles and uttering a congratulations upon his own exit. 

Miles swallowed the lump in his throat, finally taking a breath, “Olivier.”

She turned her head to look up at him, the smile she gave him one of the warmest he’d ever seen from her. She looked exhausted, her hair pulled up into a bun on the back of her head; but she was beautiful. 

“Hot damn, what took you so long?” Her voice sang with playfulness,  _of course_  that’s how she’d greet him.

He dropped his suitcase at the door, hurrying to her, “Olivier, I’m so sorry, I--”

She knew just how to shut him up, as she lifted the small swaddled bundle slightly, revealing his child’s face to him. The major general wore an amused smile as the colonel stared down at the baby, his red eyes welling up with tears once again as he took in her tanned skin and the one, humorous, blonde curl upon her head. 

What made the tears spill over was the sleepy, red reflection that peered back up at him once she opened her eyes. 

“Why are you crying, you big softie?” A warm laugh blossomed forth from the new mother. 

“She’s just beautiful,” Miles spoke through his tears, leaning down slightly, carefully setting a hand on the blanket that swaddled the child. “I love you. I love you  _both_.”

“I’ll admit, I did cry too,” Olivier smiled. “Pull up a chair, it’s bonding time.”

He did so, not taking his eyes off of either of them, as his tears began to subside. 

“You want to hold her?”

Miles nodded vigorously, the amusement in the woman’s face returning as she carefully handed the baby off to the new father. 

He stared down at her, unable to shake his fond smile as he marveled at this miracle he had a hand in creating. He was entirely silent, just reveling in his first moment of fatherhood. 

“Did Roy tell you I nearly bit one of the doctors when I was giving birth?”

He couldn’t help but laugh joyfully, supreme happiness and love washing over him. He knew the coming years would be difficult, but that did not mean they wouldn’t come to enjoy and hold dear every step of their new journey, together.

**Author's Note:**

> what? no. i’m not crying. it’s raining
> 
> this latest chapter of TNT (22) really broke me, and i really needed to write some fluff xD while this isn’t without its own share of angst, i think all the happy bubbly feelings balance it out. i hope you enjoyed, and thank you so much again <3
> 
> don't be afraid to leave a comment and/or kudos if you enjoyed!!


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